A Look at Fahrenheit 911 from a Theater's Perspective

From my local paper, the Times Argus:

Savoy Theatre owner Rick Winston is not one to blush at criticism over his movie choices. The independent theater owner has splashed his fair share of controversial films on Montpelier's smallest silver screen, so he expected to get some response to his airing of Michael Moore's latest documentary, "Fahrenheit 9/11."

What he did not expect were 500-700 emails a day, and he certainly did not expect them to come pouring in from the West Coast, the Deep South and the Midwest.

The city's smallest theater has suddenly become a battleground in an email war over the distribution of Moore's controversial film, which accuses George W. Bush of stealing the 2000 election and attacks his administration on the war in Iraq and its preparations before Sept. 11.

A private Web site and organization purportedly formed to support the war on terrorism has organized an email campaign against movie theaters that plan to show the film, including the Savoy. Other sites, including Moore's own Web presence, have launched a counterattack. The result of the two campaigns has filled Winston's inbox to the brim with accolades, tirades and even threats of boycott from as far away as Georgia.The film opens Friday at the Savoy and will run for four weeks.

"It's funny, getting a letter from Georgia, from someone saying they will never set foot in my theater if I show this movie," he said.